Stardust
by Maiden of the Moon
Summary: After accidently stealing a mythic lamp, InuYasha and his friends, Miroku and Sango, find themselves in a magical mess of misfortune. Is this 'genie' Kagome really the answer to their prayers- or the begining of a nightmare? Greed is a terrible thing. IKa
1. Every Dog Has His Day

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Inu-Yasha. (Though I could create a few perverted jokes from that disclaimer. . .(-; Just kidding.)  
  
Author's Note: **_I AM ONLY POSTING CHAPTER ONE ON THIS SITE._**

I say that now. Actually, I wasn't even planing on putting one here, but then something came up:  
  
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Or

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That all said, please enjoy- and be on the look out for chapter two ON MEDIA MINER.

- - -  
  
"A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars. Because she was with child, she wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.

Then, another sign appeared in the sky: it was a huge dragon, flaming red, with seven heads and ten horns; on his head were seven diadems. His tail swept a third of the stars from the sky and hurled them down to earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, ready to devour her child when it should be born." Revelation 12:1 – 12:4  
  
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STARDUST

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"If wishes were horses, beggars might ride." - John Ray (1627-1705)

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CHAPTER ONE: EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY

-

As he peered through the little cracked hole in the very, tiptop corner of the crumbling ceiling, he could just make out the velvety blackness that always accompanied the coming of night. He tugged a bit against his restraints, lavender eyes narrowing as he attempted to pinpoint the little pinpricks of shimmering gold that he and the rest of the world fondly called 'stars'. Well, most of the world called them stars. . . Staring up at them like he was now always reminded him of his mother, gods bless her soul, who had probably been one of the few to laugh at any mention of that word.  
  
"Those aren't stars, Inu-Yasha," she had told him when he was a boy, hugging him close to her body as they lay upon their sand covered, shack roof. "And it is disrespectful to call them so."  
  
"Then what are they, mother?" he had asked, full of a child like innocence that he now laughed at.

"Why, they are souls, my darling. The distant souls of all our ancestors, watching over us from afar. And when the gods choose to make a new special someone, they pick one of those 'stars' from the sky as the fodder." She would then kiss him on the top of his ebony wreathed noggin and smooth away his bangs, resting her chin lightly on his head before sighing wistfully. "That's where your father is, right now, love. Watching over us from the heavens. . . So you remember to be respectful to those souls. Never address them as inanimate objects- address them like friends. And they will always protect you."

Yeah, right. Inu-Yasha scoffed silently, turning his smudged, mud-caked face away from that far away peephole. What a bunch of crock. . . Then again, his mother had also been the one to teach him the phrase 'every dog has his day'. If that load of shit _was_ true, then at the very least- today wasn't his.

"Psssst! Inu-Yasha!"   
  
The teenager glanced up, the tight chains on his wrists and ankles clanking in the dark. "Miroku. . . ? Is that you?"  
  
"The one and only," a new male voice chuckled, ignoring the other weak cries of prisoners as he made his way to his friend. "On time, per usual, for your nightly bust out of jail. Was the princess as lovely today as she was yesterday?"  
  
Inu-Yasha kicked Miroku in the heels as his tall, muscular pal squatted down next to him and pulled out his tiny, dark haired pony tail. "No. . . she was prettier," the younger of the pair insisted a bit haughtily, though he knew a small blush was already growing on his cheeks. "Now, hurry up!"  
  
"I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying! God, hold your fricken' horses," the twilight eyed man grumbled, gently chewing his tongue as he used a hidden pick in the thin strap of worn leather to undo the locks on Inu-Yasha's hands and feet. "There! Happy?! You know, I don't have to do this for you every night. I could always let you rot in here for- - -"

"Stealing one or two dates? Come on, you wouldn't be that cruel," Inu-Yasha smirked, rubbing his freed wrists as he got to his feet, stealthily creeping through the shadows after Miroku, who was putting his hair back up. "Would you?"  
  
"Well, I was about to say 'ever', but since you seem to have so much trust in me, I'll forgive you this once and say: No, I wouldn't," the older male grinned cheekily, snickering as his friend glared. "Now come on, let's go. Sango's waiting outside."  
  
"No morning sickness tonight? Good," Inu sighed, following Miroku to the end of the huge, almost circular prison. There, in the corner, the pair kneeled down and brushed away a fine layer of Arabian sand; locating the handle of their little, wooden trap door. "Let's go."  
  
Dropping into the cool, dark rabbit hole- pulling the door shut behind them- they stealthily bumped and banged into one another (and the walls) as they made their way to the outside word.

"Ow! That was my foot!" Miroku hissed, blindly smacking Inu-Yasha upside the head."Damn it! Don't do that!" the other snapped, rubbing his now sore cheek as he glared through the darkness.

"Then don't step on my foot!"  
  
"I didn't step on your foot!"  
  
"Riiiight. Then who did?!"  
  
"I don't know! A scorpion?"

"Scorpions don't have feet to step on others with! They have little crawly leg thingies!"

"All right, then- a whole bunch of scorpions!"  
  
"Who simultaneously decided to leap on my foot?!"

". . . Whatever."   
  
Luckily for both, they soon had smacked face first into the opposite end of the secret passage, thus signifying that their escape was almost over- they just had to crawl out of the hole through the hidden trap door above them; the one located right behind a make-shift cart. Of course, it was always a lot easier when there was someone there to help you get OUT of the stupid hole. . . And tonight there was.

"Yo! Sango!" Inu-Yasha whispered loudly, pushing himself onto his toes in order to rap the underside of the wooden barrier. "You there?"  
  
"Yeah," the teen girl replied quietly, wrenching open the door and smiling. "You ready to get out of there?" she asked cheerfully, cocking her head of long, flowing chestnut locks.  
  
"Gee, I dunno- he sure seems to like it a lot," Miroku laughed as he helped hoist Inu-Yasha out of the passage. When that relatively easy task was done he expectantly held out his hands, taking his wife's and Inu's in turn and crawling up the side of the passage as the pair helped tug him to surface. "I think we should just leave him. . . it's almost not worth our troubles to collect him every night."

"Oh, shut up," Inu-Yasha grumbled, dusting off his raggedy pants and running the back of his hand across his face.  
  
"Yeah, Miroku, shut up," Sango repeated with a mock growl, faking her friend's dark attitude as she crossed her arms over her top of patches and holes, readjusting her sarong. She was only a few weeks along- so (thank the gods) they didn't have to worry about bigger clothes for a while. "Inu-Yasha's simply following his instincts to act like a love sick puppy."

"Can it!" he all but barked as he hid the trap door once more, covering it with dirt and stone. "I don't purposely get caught just to see the princess!"  
  
"We never said you did," Miroku smirked, ruffling the boy's hair as they all made their silent way though the disserted, midnight streets of the bazaar. A desert wind picked up, blowing a bit of sand at the trio as they scavenged for a little left over food in the empty carts and shops. There was none. Another night of empty stomachs ahead. . . "You did."

Inu-Yasha simply graced his friends with a rude hand gesture (ignoring their fake cries of hurt) as he began hopping up the hill towards their hidden hut.

-

It took until the early hours of the morning to get home, but it was worth it just to be able to crawl into the tiny, falling apart wooden house (if you could call it that) and lay near the wall-wide window (actually, the hut was just missing a wall, but they had decided to call it their window instead), and stare dreamily at the far-away palace. Inu-Yasha smiled to himself as his friends yawned and cuddled into their few, featherless pillows, almost instantly falling asleep. He, however, was wide-awake.

The princess. . . she had looked just as gorgeous as she had the day before. And the day before that- if not more so. Her long, charcoal tresses. . . her creamy, flawless skin. . . her deep blue eyes. . . her cheerful laugh. . . They were magnetic. Even her name- the one that had only just been announced to the public- caused his heart to rush. He needed to see her each day- he had ever since he had first laid eyes upon her two weeks ago.

And he would see her again- he would- tomorrow. . .

The princess. . .

Kikyo.

-

It still wasn't the dog's day, apparently.

Inu-Yasha blew out his cheeks in frustration as he grumbled incoherently under his breath. Sure, he risked his freedom every afternoon to see the princess and all- but did he ALWAYS have to loose what he risked? Evidently so. . . Because here he was again, locked in the dungeon, per usual, with only that tiny crack in the ceiling to keep him company. (Well, it wasn't like he was going to talk to the others around him, was it? What would he say? 'So, what did you do wrong to get locked down here for a lifetime?') But that was all right, for he could use this time to daydream about what had happened to him that day. And it had been good. . .

Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to drift back. . .

It had been later, towards evening- when the hot sun was slowly beginning to cool down and the princess was out on her huge marble balcony, looking over the city. He had simply watched her for a minute; admiring how her sea-colored veils perfectly hugged each curve of her body, how the jewels around her limbs and neck paled in comparison to the beauty of her eyes, how she was expertly braiding her knee-length hair. . . Then, as always, he created some sort of ruckus- today he had knocked over a jewelry wagon- to attract her attention. It worked- she glanced up and cocked her head as the guards came running and subdued him. They yelled white noise in his ears as her sapphire pools locked with his own, sparkles of amusement in their depths. And as he was dragged away he saw her smile- and give a little laugh as he grinned at her.

Oh, she was perfection at its best, the princess. . .

"Hello? Inu-Yasha? Is there anyone HOME in there?"

The 'criminal' gave a start, blinking in surprise as he felt someone rap his head with irritated knuckles. "Huh? Miroku?" He was here early. . . the sky hadn't even turned completely black yet. "Izzat you?"  
  
"Well, YEAH," the second sighed in exasperation, crouching down and pulling out his hair toggle, performing his usual lock-picking act. "Who else would it be? You've really got to stay more alert, my friend. It'll be the end of you if you don't."  
  
"Feh!" the boy snorted, acting the usual rebel as he gained feeling back in his wrists and ankles. "Worry about your own neck, Miroku, and I'll worry about mine."

"Hey, now, don't get so defensive," the elder of the pair retorted lightly, helping Inu-Yasha to his feet. "I'm just looking out for my little brother."  
  
"I'm not your brother," Inu countered automatically, lip curling in distaste as he ripped his hands away. Ugh, don't even mention the WORD brother. . . it only brought bad memories of his real half sibling.

"Oh. . . well- Maybe not," Miroku shrugged, masterfully hiding his semi hurt feelings as he smiled. "But I think of you as one."

"Whatever," he grunted as his hair was ruffled.  
  
Shaking his head and turning on his heel, Miroku started for the hidden passage; only pausing for a brief moment in order to allow Inu-Yasha to catch up.

-

"I'm hungry," Sango suddenly announced, stopping in her tracks and waiting for her friends to do the same. It took them a moment but they eventually did so, consequently banging into a few late shoppers as they spun to face the female.

"Yeah. . . so?" Inu-Yasha prompted, crossing his arms over his bare chest. "When aren't you?"  
  
"When aren't any of us?" Miroku added as his own stomach gave a timely growl. He smiled and sighed, scratching his head as one upper crust woman past them, "subtly" holding her nose. "Guess we need a bath, too."

"I'm REALLY hungry," Sango insisted, shooting them pointed looks as she jabbed her head towards a near by shop. "Really REALLY hungry." Finally catching the hint, the two boys chanced sidelong glances in the indicated direction.  
  
They found themselves examining a table. And it was shining. Literally. Stuffed to the brim with gold- plates, goblets, necklaces, bracelets, statues, everything!- it looked about to collapse under the sheer weight of treasure. Two women were seated behind it, neither really paying much attention to their goods. The shorter, younger looking one was too busy staring at herself in a silver mirror to care, and the other was grumbling silently, looking a bit murderous as she drummed her nails on her forearms.

Eventually having their fill of staring, Inu-Yasha and Miroku exchanged glances before deftly pulling Sango aside, covering her mouth before she could emit even a squeak of surprise.

"What are you suggesting?" the violet-eyed man asked calmly, his voice low. "To steal some of those riches?! They're probably going to the palace! We'd get executed if we got caught!"  
  
"IF we got caught," his wife repeated slyly, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she ripped her arms out of the men's strong grasp. "And we never do! . . . Well, except Inu-Yasha."  
  
Mentioned boy's eyebrow began to tick. "I do that deliberately! You know that!"  
  
"Yeah, right. That's not what you were saying las- - -"  
  
"Look," Miroku interrupted, playing peace maker as he separated the two with his hands. "Why don't we just pillage some food, like usual? Then we can eat all of the evidence and no one's the wiser! Besides, food grows back. It's not the same when you steal precious gems and the like."  
  
"Miroku, I'm sick of stealing food!" the magenta-eyed girl complained, stomping a bare foot. "Whenever we do that we always make sure to steal enough for the week, but then it gets rotten and gross! If we get our hands on some gold, we could buy fresh food when we were hungry and eat it- and then buy more instead of choking down worm-infested crap!"  
  
". . ." Inu-Yasha turned blankly towards the eldest of the three, blinking once. ". . . She has a point."  
  
"Inu-Yasha! We're talking morals here! What about pride? Honor?" Miroku all but cried, banging a fist to his chest.

"Well, I for one am willing to swallow my pride if it means swallowing something to eat," Inu shrugged, smirking slightly as Sango nodded empathetically; smiling thankfully.

Miroku stared blankly at his friends for a moment- - -

And then beamed. "Point taken. Let's go!"  
  
-

"Excuse me, good madams- - -"

"WHAT do you WANT. . .?"  
  
Miroku cut himself off in mild indignation at the younger female's cold, crisp, monotone reply. Never once tearing her eyes away from her mirror, the white haired girl frowned. Presumably at Miroku. It was sort of hard to tell since her gaze was locked on the hand-held looking glass.

"Er- well, I was simply wondering what sort of load you've got here," he questioned good naturedly, watching Inu-Yasha and Sango from the corner of his eye. They were carefully sneaking in from behind, crouched low and breath held. "Is it going to the palace?"  
  
"Why do you want to know?" the expressionless one retorted, casting him a sidelong glance. "It is none of your concern."  
  
"Why do YOU always get to talk to the townsfolk?" the second female grumbled rudely, shooting the younger girl a cold glare. "Every day for the two weeks we've been here- no matter WHO comes to chat! I'm just supposed to sit here in silence and twiddle my thumbs! It's not fair!"

The silver locked girl sighed silently, turning her head to reprimand her partner- - - when she suddenly noticed the pair of thieves in the reflection of her mirror, stuffing their shirts and pants and arms with treasure. "Robbers," she whispered, snapping around to apprehend all three strangers- But they had already fled, laughing loudly as they raced into the night.

They were gone before the pair at the cart could even get to their feet.

"Wha- - -? No! This is all your fault, Kanna!" the elder of the two moaned, banging the handle of a silver fan against her forehead. "At least they didn't get the lamp, right?!"  
  
Kanna said nothing, only returned her gaze to her mirror. But she already knew-

The lamp was gone.

They would all pay.

-

"Oh yeah! Look at all this!" Sango gushed, dumping the loot with a clatter onto the ground of their small home, eyes sparkling like the expensive metal before her as she fell to her knees. "We'll never go hungry again! . . . Well, at least not for a few weeks."

"We may not be able to stuff our faces right now, but I'm feeling full already!" Miroku beamed, examining a statue of a cat and dusting off its ear with the pad of his thumb. "Look at all this gold!"  
  
Inu-Yasha began to nod excitedly- but quite quickly his lips had turned downward. "Wait- it's not all gold."

"- - - Huh?" The other two did a double take, glancing at each other before turning to their friend.  
  
"What do you mean?" the girl questioned, trying on a pair of earrings. "It's not fools gold, is it?"   
  
"No," her husband replied, picking up a small charm and biting it lightly. It easily bent in his mouth. "It's all pure gold."  
  
"Not this," Inu-Yasha countered, picking up a small, old fashioned oil lamp that had fallen near his feet. Displaying it to his friends, his expression darkened slightly. "Why try and sell something of _silver_ amidst all this gold? No one would care!"

"You're right! We don't care!" Sango sang, waving a now jewelry-heavy hand. "Silver is almost as lovely as gold! We can still sell it for food- no worries! In fact, we can sell it first and enjoy all our gold longer!"  
  
"I'm with Sango," Miroku grinned, crossing his legs and laughing gleefully, placing a crown on his head with an air of mock dignity. "Just clean it up and we can go to town tomorrow."

"Oh, all right, whatever," Inu-Yasha shrugged, propping up one leg and resting an elbow on it as he quit his examination of the innocent object. "It just seems strange to me. . ."

"Shut up and clean it!" the elder man rolled his eyes, counting how many bracelets he could fit on each arm. "Oh-" he added in afterthought with a laugh, winking jovially at his friend. "And be careful for genies!"   
  
"Ha ha ha," Inu-Yasha retorted dryly, rubbing off the sand covered lamp with his palm. "Like such things exist anyway."

"Existence is merely the belief that something is true," a female voice giggled, the soft scent of frankincense seeping into the room from somewhere unseen.

". . . What?" The boy instantly stopped his scrubbing, turning to face Sango with a questioning gaze. "Did you just say something?"  
  
"Hm?" the woman murmured, not paying attention at all. "Did I what?"

"And you," the voice continued as a sudden, powerful blast of blood colored smoke billowed from the lamp, causing both Sango and Miroku to look up in surprise as Inu-Yasha froze in place; eyes wide. "You, evidently, _do_ believe, somewhere inside- - -"

From the center of the lazily twisting maroon typhoon in the middle of the golden circle, a teenage girl appeared. A teenage girl dressed in a tight tube top of red silk, and low, baggy, gauzy pants of the same color. A dragon-shaped belt of identical silk covered her more private areas as it helped keep her bottoms from slipping off her hips; cuffing the legs of her pants and her bare wrists as well. Golden bangles and dark gems glittered on her ankles and decorated her upper arms; chains of rubies lazily looping her bare midriff and locking at her belly button- at the belt-dragon's mouth. Her full, pink frosted lips- covered by a shimmering veil- curled into a smile as she closed her eyes- eye shadow and glitter sparkling on the lids as she fell into a deep bow.

"- - - My master."

-  
  
-

-

There ya go! XD Chappie one. Don't go comparing this fic to anything yet- because very soon it's going to become completely. . . twisted. XD Mwahahahaha!  
  
Remember- **_SEND E-MAIL ADDRESSES IN REVIEWS IF YOU WANT TO BE E-MAILED WHEN I UPDATE! _**(-:  
  
Ja ne!


	2. Anything

_Disclaimer: If you haven't gotten the gist of these disclaimers yet, I'm frightened for your health. No, I don't own Inu-Yasha!  
  
Author's Note: Hey! Lookie me, I'm back on ff . net! XD  
  
Yes, after much consideration and waiting and sighs and sleepless nighs, I've decided to start posting both here and on mm . org. Why?  
  
. . . Well, honestly, I missed this site. ::sweatdrops:: And it seemed that most of you missed me using it, soooo. . . yeah. (-; Ergo, since the raid seems, for the most part, over, I'll be posting here too- until my account is deleted or the administrators start turning evil again._

_XD  
  
Oh- and the spacers have changed to '**x**'s because that's all ff . net will allow anymore. ::shrugs:: Stupid, but we'll live, right?  
  
Please enjoy!_

**x**

_STARDUST_

**x**

"Like our shadows, our wishes lengthen as our sun declines." Edward Young (1683-1765) 

**x**

_CHAPTER TWO: ANYTHING_

**x**

All three humans stared, awestruck, at the bowing curtain of silky charcoal hair before them; wreathed in a crown of rubies. Her arms lifting as her back curved, she all but kissed the sand at Inu-Yasha's feet.

"Uh. . . pardon?" the black locked boy blinked, clearing his throat and rubbing his eyes. Was he seeing things. . . ?  
  
"Oh!" the younger girl snapped to attention once more, her blue gray eyes wide with horror. "No! My master, do not ask for pardoning! You have done nothing wrong! It is I who should beg for forgiveness, for not being clear enough!" She instantly fell to her knees and lowered her forehead to the floor, folding her hands before her.

"She's flexible enough. . ." Miroku murmured approvingly, stroking an imaginary beard with a thoughtful grin- until his wife smacked him upside the head, glaring. "Just kidding!"  
  
"No- wait! What the hell are you doing?!" Inu-Yasha cried in confusion, trying his best to scoot away as the mysterious female before him suddenly crawled closer, slender fingers wrapping around his neck. Finding a comfortable spot between his legs, she beamed innocently and began running her hands through his dirty tresses, stroking his chest as he froze in complete, embarrassed bewilderment. "Uh- - - ?"  
  
"You are much more handsome than my last master," she smiled sweetly, giggling as her ministrations to his body slowed to a stop. "You seem smarter, too."

"What the FUCK are you going on about?!" the teenager forced through his nervously twitching mouth, balling his hands at his sides as he leaned away from her touch. She remained between his knees however, putting most of her weight on her own fists- which were placed between her loosely spread legs. Leaning forward a bit, she continued to grin.  
  
"Why, master- don't play dumb! You must know what I'm here for if you rubbed my lamp!" she laughed airily, cocking her head.

"Wha- - - ?!"  
  
"Don't worry, Inu-Yasha," Miroku suddenly interrupted in a smooth, calming voice. "I know what she means!" Nudging the younger man away, he took his place before the now surprised girl and clasped her hands in his. "Now- I wish- - -" The magical female instantly glared, pulling away from him. "No." 

". . . ?" All three robbers blinked, deservedly confused. "Hm?"  
  
"Sorry- but you have no right to make demands," she informed a bit frostily, pointing an almost accusing, decorated finger at the eldest. "You didn't awaken me. You didn't rub."

"Oh! Well, that mistake can _easily_ be remedied. . ."  
  
Sango frowned deeply as she instinctively caught the sneaky pervert's ear. "NOT like that." Miroku forced a short laugh in response as the girl turned her blank gaze onto each human in turn.  
  
"'I wish'. . . ?" Inu-Yasha repeated slowly, carefully pushing himself up to his knees as the mild pandemonium died away. This had GOT to be a dream. . . "You grant wishes?"

"Hm? Ooo- yes! Of course, master!" she sang, attention once again upon Inu as she hopped to her feet- only to fall into yet another deep bow. "Allow me to properly introduce myself, master. My name is Kagome- and I am here to fulfil your _every_ desire." Suddenly sliding down into a perfect split before him, Inu-Yasha gulped as Kagome's eyes bored into his. "You simply need to ask."

"A- ask. . . ?" he once again echoed, trying to absorb this information with his tired, mushy brain. "You've got to be kidding me!"

She frowned.

"Kid? I do not kid with my master unless that is what he wants," Kagome tilted her face, slowly fluttering her thick lashes. "Is that what you'd like, my master?" "Er- not really," Inu-Yasha swallowed arching an eyebrow as- once again- his personal bubble threatened to pop. "But I would appreciate if you stopped calling me 'master'. My name is Inu-Yasha." 

"And mine is Kagome!" she chirped, as if he hadn't heard before. "Ka-Go-Me!" As she bubbled this, Miroku's brow furrowed in observation. She was truly like a child. . . a very well developed child, but a child nonetheless. He had to wonder- how long had she been encased in that lamp?

"Nice. . ." the lavender orbed boy nodded vaguely, still rather lost. "So. . . you grant wishes?"  
  
"Yes!" she nodded, her necklaces tinkling as she did so. "Anything and everything my master wishes, to its fullest extent!"  
  
"Anything. . . ?"  
  
"Does my master enjoy repeating what I say?" Kagome's eyebrows knitted together, as if in mild annoyance. All right- truth be told it probably _was_ mild annoyance. "Yes- anything and everything. You only have to ask."  
  
"I find that a bit hard to grasp," Inu retorted skeptically, grabbing the girl's shoulders and pushing her back onto her behind. She started in surprise as her rear end found the hard ground. "So come on- How long until you spring on us the limitations and restrictions?" 

"Limitations?" she murmured, rolling the word around on her tongue as if some new kind of candy. "Restrictions? Whatever do those words mean?"  
  
"Keh! Come on, you know! Like 'you're only allowed three wishes and the first two don't count' kind of deal," he rolled his eyes darkly, leaning back on his arms and staring coldly at the confused teen before him. Sango bit her bottom lip, oddly silent as she watched the not-quite-fairy-tale scene play out. "Like in all the stories!"

"I know not what. . . stories. . . you speak of," Kagome nibbled her thumb, appearing to be a bit put out. "But I assure you, my master- your desires are not limited or restricted. And as for three? That is laughable! Just as the stars are infinite, so are the possibilities."

He exchanged narrowed glances with his still semi-shocked friends. ". . . How do we know you're not lying?" Inu-Yasha finally inquired, sounding a bit haughty as well as suspicious. "How do we know you're not a fake?"

The magical female seemed honestly appalled and hurt. "I am not allowed to lie to you! And as for being 'fake'. . ." A small smirk tugged on the corners of her painted lips. "You need only ask to find out, don't you?"

She dangled the taunt before him like a lure, waiting for him to bite.  
  
"Fine then," Inu-Yasha readily took the bait, crossing his legs and resting his chin in his hands. "I wish. . . for a feast."  
  
Kagome giggled, mimicking his position- slouched back and all. ". . . Done."

And with a mere snap of her fingers, there was one. A feast fit for royalty. The three poor friends' eyes widened- before closing hard, not daring to believe what they saw. The girl only laughed at the cliché reaction. 'Silly master and friends. . .'

Sango was the first to reopen her eyes and truly take in the splendor that lay before them. "Praise the gods. . ." she whispered, mystified. It was impossible- but yet, it was there. Mounds and mounds of the highest quality food. Dates, figs, grapes, and nuts of all varieties poured neatly in fine silver bowls; cheeses and milk, honey and spices randomly dispersed between mountains of perfectly roasted, crystal platters of meat; imported delights of which no one knew the name, but looked delicious; cakes, pies, and breads of warm wheat. . . all set upon the floor before them- the gold that had once hogged the ground carefully moved to the other side of the room by magic.

The woman gasped aloud once more as the two men registered the reality at their feet, shock etched upon their features. Then Inu-Yasha turned his stunned face- staring directly at Kagome. "You. . ."  
  
She simply grinned, now relaxing upon her stomach as she placed her chin on the back of her wrist. "Go on," she urged. "Eat. Or it'll all go to waste."  
  
They didn't need telling twice. Within in instant, Sango, Miroku, and Inu were snarfing down every morsel they could get their hands on, almost crying with happiness.

"Oh! These dates are DELICIOUS!"  
  
"Try the spices!"  
  
"Mmm! Man, what IS this gray stuff?! It's great!"

Kagome simply watched them, grin plastered on her face.

**x**

The next morning, all three _still_ had stomachaches.

"Ugh. . ." Inu-Yasha moaned, clutching his tummy as he leaned against the edge of their wall-wide window, watching Miroku and Sango crawl off to buy some kind of antidote in the market. They had tried to get Inu to wish for one, but he had barely been able to get out any words other then 'ugh' all morning. If you could call that a word.

"My master shouldn't have eaten so much," Kagome shook her head, sounding a bit patronizing as she lowered herself next to him and began to gently rub his back. "And so quickly! I don't think I've ever seen a dish of food disappear so fast in all my many years."

Inu-Yasha shot her an icy-hot glare, catching her by surprise. She pulled away a bit. "DON'T even MENTION that word. . ." he groaned, looking a little green in the cheeks as Kagome graced him with a confused expression.

"What?" she inquired, sincerely unsure. "'Years'?"  
  
"No. . ." he ground out, sounding irritated. "The. . . F one. . ."  
  
"Oh!" the girl did a double take, touching her hands to her cheeks; startled. "My master must have misheard! I never say that word! . . . Unless it pleases my master, of course. Or he . . . desires it." She blinked once before finally 'understanding,' her mouth forming a perfect 'o'. Then, moving a bit closer to Inu; one long leg wrapping around his hip so that she was half straddled over him- she pressed herself into his side. "Is that what you desire, master?" she asked, voice a husky, sensual whisper.

Inu-Yasha's already lowered head dropped another inch out of horrified bewilderment, hiding his red cheeks. Okay, he had walked RIGHT into this one. . . "_No_! Bad girl!" he snapped, trying not to sound as embarrassed and frustrated as he actually was as he carefully removed her leg. "And never mind! But I thought I told you NOT to call me master!"  
  
"Ah!" she gasped, eyes widening in horror as she slammed her head and hands onto the ground before her in her umpteenth bow. "Of course, you are correct! A thousand apologies, Master Inu-Yasha! No- a thousand and one!" 

Well. . . that was a bit closer.

"Good enough," he sighed, defeated; pulling his knees to his chin. 'This genie might not be worth the trouble!' he mentally growled, eyes panning the far away kingdom. It still glittered in the glow of the early morning sun. 'It's not like she could. . . wait.' "Kagome," he began slowly, sounding a rather sly as he glanced towards the groveling teen beside him. She looked up, cautiously finding her original position beside him; sitting on the back of her legs. 

"Yes. . . ?" she questioned carefully, as if frightened that he was furious with her.

"What are the rules about making someone fall in love with you?" he inquired, casually examining his chipped nails.  
  
Kagome's eye twitched, but only once. ". . .Rules?" she drawled, on her face an almost comical expression of confusion and exasperation. "I told you, Master Inu-Yasha, there are no rules!"  
  
"But what about the whole 'genies can't make others'- - -" he began, but was interrupted by the girl slamming an irritated fist into the ground.

"Didn't you hear a word I said last night, Master Inu-Yasha?!" she glared, seemingly angry at his lacking listening skills. "I said anything, and that is what I meant! How long will it take for you to understand that?! Comprehend that?! Besides, I'm not a- - - Oh my goodness, forgive my outburst!" she clamped her hands over her mouth, disgusted with herself as she- per usual- fell into a bow.

Inu-Yasha blew out his cheeks, running a hand over his face. That was getting really old, really fast. . . he'd rather she yelled than act like the pushover she wa- - -!

Wait. . .

"'I'm not a. . . ?' " he repeated slowly, arching an eyebrow as he reached out a hand and lifted Kagome's chin, frowning down at her. "Not a what?"

She hesitated. He pressed on. "Well?"

Chewing her lip for a moment, Kagome's eyes darting left and right- as if trying to find an exit. But she could not deny her master's question. After all- Even if he had no rules, _she_ was bound to a powerful set of them.

". . . I am not a. . . genie, as you call them," she finally mumbled under her breath. "I am nothing more than stardust."  
  
. . . What?  
  
Inu-Yasha stared down at her, nonplused. "Excuse me?"  
  
Kagome shook her head, forcing a smile back onto her pretty face. "Never mind, Master Inu-Yasha. Thank you for so generously forgiving me!" With that, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. And, as planned, he didn't continue the conversation.  
  
"Ack! No! No touching!" the boy gurgled out, hardly able to breathe as he wrestled her arms away. "No! Bad girl!"  
  
"Eek! A thousand apologies, Master Inu-Yasha! Please forgive me," she begged, instantly retracting her hands and clasping them together at her heart. "Now- who's heart do you desire?"

"Well. . ." Inu smiled slightly, a pink tinge finding its way to his cheeks as he found a comfortable spot against the edge of the wall once again. Never mind about the non-genie-whatchamacallit named Kagome. As long as she could grant this. . . He'd ponder what she meant later. Maybe. "There's this girl. . ."  
  
"Naturally."  
  
"She's the princess. . ." He swallowed, frowning as a thought came to him. 'Wait. . . that's right. She's the princess, stupid! Even if she loved you, she wouldn't be allowed to marry a worthless street bum like yourself! Idiot!'

"The princess?" Kagome echoed, oblivious to his inner turmoil as she lifted her hand- ready to snap her magical fingers. "All right. D- - -"

"No- wait!" he quickly stopped her, placing his hand over hers. "Not yet. I have other things I'd like fulfilled first. . ."  
  
At that, Kagome's lips wavered- but she continued to keep them perked in a beam. "Whatever you desire, Master Inu-Yasha," she whispered softly, "and I shall grant it to its fullest extent."

And so the wishes began. . .

**x**

_You know who Kagome reminds me of in this chapter? She reminds me of Shampoo. But she is acting the way she is for a reason, don't worry. . ._

_This chapter is dedicated to Koji-sama, who drew the KAWAIIEST picture of Kagome in her genie outfit, and Saki-sama, who is already obsessed with this fic. -- They both honor me with their sweetness- thank you soooo much!  
  
Also, Sara- I'm sure you know what I threw in for you. ::laughs::  
  
I love you all! Please R&R!  
  
Ja ne!_


	3. Guilty Disappointment

_Disclaimer: If I owned Inu-Yasha, I wouldn't be wasting my time with fanfiction, now, would I?  
  
Author's Note: Hey hey! Here I am with chapter three. A lot of comments about how Kagome is very OOC right now. Like I said last chapter, yes, I know. But she's like that for a reason. I really appreciate and applaud those who caught the moments when her real personality shone through. XD Yea for you!  
  
Anyway, I have a few things to say about my updating system- some of you have been mentioning that you haven't been getting my e-mails about when I post new chapters. That may be because I didn't have your address down, but also- some of the addresses that I send stuff to doesn't go through. I'm not sure why, maybe it doesn't recognize my address. All the same- I do send them. Some computers just don't receive them. Gomen ne!  
  
Finally- AUGH! School started for me TODAY! Nooooo! TT ::sighs:: So, like I warned in Headlines, updates may be fewer and farther between from now on. But no worries- I promise to write when I can._

_That all said, please enjoy this chapter! XD_

**x**  
  
_STARDUST_  
  
**x**  
  
"Not he who has little, but he who wishes more, is poor." Seneca (4 BC – 65 AD) 

**x**

CHAPTER THREE: GUILTY DISSAPOINTMENT

**x**

"Not bad Inu-Yasha. . . not bad at all!" Sango giggled as she threw herself onto a large red poof, eyeing the maroon and gold room around her. Charms and chimes tinkled from the ceiling as magenta veils tickled the blood colored walls, multicolored glass collecting the sunset's glow outside and, with the help of the many scented lamps, lighting the room cheerfully. "Especially for one as clumsy as you are when it comes to stealing. You really delivered when you accidentally grabbed that lamp! Talk about dumb luck!"

Clumsy? Dumb?! HIM? "Hey!" Inu-Yasha began to growl in protest; cheeks flaming- but his other best friend distracted him with a timely compliment. 

"This place is fantastic!" Miroku gaped; walking in from the hall lined with artwork. "Now- what did you do with OUR place?"  
  
"Huh? Oh! Haha- This IS our place!" the younger man grinned, waving an excited hand around the palace that now stood in place of the hut that had been. "Only I've. . . changed it a bit."  
  
"I should say!" the eldest laughed, still in a state of shock as he whistled. "By the way- where'd you get the new threads?"  
  
"Oh, these?" Inu inquired lightly, smoothing his hands down his new silk vest-and-pants combination. "Just a little something I had Kagome whip up. Literally." He chuckled at his own joke, twisting the many rings on his fingers as Kagome; who sat hidden in the corner; glanced briefly up from twiddling her thumbs. She smiled at her master and his friends before leaning back against the wall again, an unreadable expression on her face. "There's some just as fine in your guy's new bedroom- if you're nice, of course," the young man continued, oblivious to Kag and her feelings. "But you might want to wait and change until tomorrow."

What. . . ?

"New clothes?" the chestnut haired woman gasped, clapping her hands together as her eyes lit up. "Really?! I haven't had new clothes since- since- well, I don't know if I ever have! And- - - we get our own bedroom?!"  
  
Inu-Yasha began to laugh again, hands planted to his hips in an almost haughty fashion. "Why, I reckon there are enough rooms in here for everyone in the country! . . . Well, maybe not that many, but Kagome could add on if we needed it. Right, Kagome?" He turned to face the girl again, beaming toothily at her as she tiredly glanced up once more. She managed to smile weakly in return. 

"Whatever you desire, Master Inu-Yasha," she repeated, pushing herself to her feet- only to fall for the umpteenth time into a bow. But this one seemed wearier than the others- and her eyes contained an almost disappointed gleam. Not that her master took any notice. "And I shall grant it to its _fullest_ extent."

"You see?" he pointed towards her, a look of indescribable, gleeful greed in his eyes. "I- I mean, we- could have anything! Anything we want! Forever! We'll never go hungry or homeless again!"  
  
"Wow. . ." the married couple cooed, awestruck as excitement began to course through their veins as well. No more scavenging. . . ? No more lying. . . ? No more stealing or empty bellies- - - ?! It was a dream come true!

"Our lives are finally taking a turn for the better!" Sango squealed, hoping up and down once before rushing over and embracing Kagome, almost crying with happiness. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"Ah- - -!"The magical one seemed surprised by this sudden display of affection- but as quickly as the shock had come it faded away and was replaced by a guilty grin. Nodding nervously, Kag began tentatively patting the older female's back, looking unsure. "Uh. . . no problem?" Miroku just smiled before gently tugging his wife away- seeing as how it appeared she was suffocating the girl. Inu-Yasha simply continued to chuckle, before cutting himself off with a sudden yawn.

"Oh. . ." he stretched, blinking his bleary eyes. "All that work today made me tired . . . I'm gonna head off to bed, guys. You might want to do the same." The other two nodded excitedly before bounding off, still fascinated by their new home. Inu, however, already looking bored, simply bushed his way through the curtain-blocked doorways and halls, eventually making it to his bedroom.

It was probably the largest room in the house, his bedroom- blood red with a huge canopied bed in the center of it all. A large window, like the old wall-sized one (which was no more), was placed on the far right- looking out over the far away city. Veils and poofs like the ones in the living room were situated around as well, in addition to twenty lamps and countless golden statues.

"Ah. . ." he sighed in content before pulling off his vest and pants. Tossing them into the corner, he stuck a hand into the large chest by his bed and yanked out a nightshirt of blue silk. After taking a moment to inspect the silver trimming of the pattern, he tugged it on- - -

Just as Kagome poked her face into the room. "Master. . . ?"  
  
"Ack!" the male cried, blood rushing up to his cheeks as he spun around, just having covered. . . his more private areas. . . with his pajamas. "Kagome! I was changing in here! Knock or something, stupid!"

"Oh. . ." her face fell as she inclined her head, resting it and a hand against the doorframe. The rest of her body was still hidden behind the corner. "A thousand and one apologies, Master Inu-Yasha. I do hope you can forgive me."

"Well. . . whatever," he shrugged, hopping into bed as the girl let herself in, gliding nervously over to Inu-Yasha's side and sitting down. He quirked an eyebrow as he finally noticed her worried expression. About time. "What's the matter, Kagome?"  
  
What was the matter. . . ? Such a complex question. She began chewing her painted bottom lip as he asked, and then took a deep breath when he fell silent again.

"Master Inu-Yasha," Kag began slowly, eyes glued on her fidgeting fingers, ". . .are you happy yet?"

. . . _What_?  
  
The poor-man-turned-rich blinked once, confused. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Does all this make you happy?" she clarified, lifting her hands and gesturing towards all his new things- the faintest of desperate glimmers in her eyes. A glimmer that her master missed completely.

_Was_ he happy? A good question. . .

"Well. . . I suppose," he shrugged easily after half a second of thought, allowing his lashes to flutter shut. "But why should I be completely happy when I still have more wishes?"

More wishes. . . Kagome instantly deflated. "Oh. . ."  
  
Inu-Yasha, missing the disappointment in her voice, cracked one eye open- staring at her. "Oi, Kagome?"  
  
The girl sucked in her cheeks a plastered a smile on her face. "Yes?" 'Maybe he's caught on to more than I thought. . . ?'

"I was wondering," he began nonchalantly, playing with his sheets. "Being some sort of genie or whatever, you must have granted a lot of wishes."

'. . . Guess not.' "Mmm," she agreed, looking away- out the window, where the desert stars were twinkling like diamonds. "Many, many desires, Master."  
  
"Then you must know what are the best things to want. What wishes bring the best results," he surmised, a smirk finding its way to his lips. "So- What would you wish for, Kagome?"

. . . Huh? What would she. . . ?!

She blinked once- before stiffening in absolute horror. "Me?!" she gasped, shuffling a few feet away from him- clutching the end post of his bed. "_Me_- - - ?! Oh no! No, no, no, no!" Her azure eyes darted from left to right, her already pale skin draining itself of blood. Inu-Yasha instantly sat up, bewildered at her behavior as she began to tremble. "Oh, Master," she breathed, biting her thumbnail nervously. "I am not even allowed to utter that word, let alone use it!"  
  
"What? 'Wish'?" Completely blown away with confusion, Inu-Yasha tilted his head. "Why?"  
  
"It is a sin," she whispered, leaning in a bit- as if telling a secret. "It is a sin. . . but no matter!" Suddenly- and quite spontaneously- clapping her hands, the girl launched herself from her corner and bounded like a bunny into Inu's lap. He froze in embarrassment as she cuddled into his chest. "What is your next desire, Master?" Kagome breathed as she began running her hands up and down his chest, slowly moving her legs so that she was straddling him; pushing him back onto the be- - -

She stopped when he caught her wrists, his face on fire as he pushed her off of him. "We went through this! No! Bad girl!"  
  
"Oh, yes! A thousand and one apologies- - - !," she sang, almost dangling in front of him- seeing as how he'd locked her arms over her head with his hands. "Now, what would you like?"  
  
Inu-Yasha frowned, still a bit annoyed. What _did_ he want. . . ? Should he wish for Kikyo's heart, now that he was richer than the sultan? Or perhaps he should wish to be more suave first? Or. . . or. . .

"_. . . Especially for one as clumsy as you are. . ."_

The boy's lips continued to turn downward as Sango's words echoed through his mind. Yes- clumsy. Dumb. Was he really that bad. . . ? Would the princess love him if he was?  
  
"Master Inu-Yasha. . . ?"  
  
He jumped slightly at Kagome's timid voice, quickly returning to reality as she gently tugged at her wrists. "Uh. . .this sort of hurts. . ."  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah- sorry," he grunted, releasing her. Of course, by saying that word he inevitably started up her usual 'please forgive me' crap, but he just tuned her out. It was getting easier and easier, he noticed. But back to the more important matter at hand. . .

"I've decided!" he announced, cutting of Kagome's next words. Not that it mattered, she was probably still groveling anyway. . .

"So sor- - -Ho. . . ?" she blinked, lacing her hands and setting them between her knees as she fell back onto her bottom, relaxing once more. "And what is your next desire, my master?" 'Be smart, be smart, be smart, be smar- - - !'  
  
"I wish," he began, a superior glint in his eyes as his smile widened, "for stealth. For grace! For all the qualities those dogs at the bazaar have- the ones that can steal food and stuff without getting caught!" Inu-Yasha grinned to himself as he tapped his chin, a thoughtful expression on his face. "After all, I've heard that 'inu' means dog in some cultures. . ."  
  
. . .

Kagome simply stared at him, dumbfounded, as her eyebrow began twitching. Then her lip began to form a sneer as she closed her eyes, looking away. What the heck was he- - - ?! "You. . .

You. . .

You idiot!" she hissed under her breath, sounding for all the world as annoyed as hell.

'. . . Idiot?' Inu-Yasha did a double take, staring at her. Did she just- - -? "Pardon me?"

"Oh? Ah!" the girl's blue-gray pools instantly snapped open, on her face a guilty smile as she waved her hands. "Nothing, my Master! Ha ha- Just my foolish mouth prattling on! But. . ." She fell momentarily silent as she touched his face- that odd glitter back inside her eyes. "But, Master Inu-Yasha, are you very sure that that is what you want. . . ?" 

Sure?! "Uh. . . yeah," he nodded, a confident look on his face and a 'duh' tone in his voice. "Quite. Now grant it!"

_Now grant it_. . . Hark, the treatment she was used to. Perhaps he wasn't as smart as she'd originally hoped. . .

Kag blew out her cheeks discreetly before forcing a beam on her face. She had to follow the rules. "Anything my master desires, I shall grant to its fullest extent. Done." And with that she snapped her magical fingers- all the lamps blew themselves out- and- - - -

Inu-Yasha blinked in the darkness. ". . . Nothing happened, did it?" He didn't feel any different, anyway.

The female before him simply smiled, shaking her head slightly- her face covered by shadows. "Give it time, my Master. Give it time. But now- - - !" She brought her hands together, once again the most cheerful person on the face of the earth. "It is time for bed!" Hopping off of the mattress- only to lean over and fluff Inu's pillow- Kagome walked over to the window and gently tugged the curtains, pulling them partly shut. Then she opened her mouth, as if to say something, before pausing.

'. . . ?' Inu, who was snuggled down in bed, chuckled as he watched her face contort in thought. "What is it, Kagome?"

"Wha- - ?" She jumped in surprise at his voice, and then blushed- not having realized she was being watched. "Uh. . . Does my master mind if I sing?"

Sing. . . ? Odd request, but. . . what was the harm? He hadn't heard a song since his mother died so many years ago. . . Sango wasn't much of a musician (He already pitied her unborn child) and neither was he or Miroku, so. . .

"All right. . ." he yawned, closing his eyes. "Go ahead."  
  
". . . Thank you," she whispered before seating herself on the window ledge and staring up at the millions of souls in the sky.

"_Thinking on a dream that seems far off_

_Hoping it will come today. . . _

_Into the star-lit night_

_Foolish dreamers turn their gaze_

_Waiting on a shooting star. . ._"  
  
Inu-Yasha mind- though heavy and full of cotton, half gone in the world of dreams- couldn't help but register his astonishment. She had an incredible voice. . . And as she sung, he could hear her approach him, pulling his covers to his chin and tucking him gently in for the night.

"_But_

_What if that star is not to come?  
Will their dreams fade to nothing?  
When the horizon darkens most_

_We all need to believe there is hope. . . !_"  
  
She gently pressed her lips to his forehead before smoothing his hair, resting her crossed arms under her chin as she kneeled beside his bed. _  
  
_"_Is an angel watching closely over me?  
Can their be a guiding light I've yet to see?  
I know my heart should guide me, but-_

_There's a hole within my soul!_"

'What a sad song. . .' he mused, before succumbing completely to sleep- still trying to hold on to the sound of her voice. Kagome smiled sadly as she watched her Master drift into slumber, his face finally relaxing enough to reveal an expression of childlike innocence.

She was feeling terrible already. _  
  
_"_What will fill this emptiness inside of me?  
Am I to be satisfied without knowing. . . ?_

_I hope then for a chance to see _

_Now all I need. . ._" Getting to her feet, Kag walked back to the glass and watched the heavens shine above her."_Desperately. ._"  
  
With a sigh and a shake of her head, she forced a small, sad smile back onto her lips.

"_Is my. . . _

_Star to come. . ._"  
  
'I'm so sorry, Master Inu-Yasha. . .'

**x**  
  
_What's she sorry about? We'll have to wait to find out, won't we?  
  
Thanks for reading! Please R&R!  
  
Ja ne!_

_PS. Kagome's song was a slightly altered 'Wind's Nocturne'. Very beautiful, very pretty, very much worth hearing. I'll try and post a URL next chapter._


	4. Repercussions

_Disclaimer: Ooo, if only. . .  
  
Author's Note: Hiya! Thank God for Labor Day weekend, ne? Hope y'all are enjoying it._

_Life's busy, for me, but okay, I guess. School's beginning to look up- I found my lost sketchbook and I've got classes with most of my friends. Not too much homework so far, either- though I'm sure that'll change. Oh! And my onee-san will be coming to visit me over Thanksgiving! XD I can't wait to see her!_

_Anyway, I know that technically I'm supposed to be updating Headlines right now, but this is what I'm inspired to write- and better a chapter in this than no chapter at all, ne? ;;; I'll work on Headlines next._

_Please enjoy!_

**x**  
  
_STARDUST_  
  
**x**  
  
"We would often be sorry if our wishes were gratified." Aesop (620 BC – 560 BC) 

**x**

CHAPTER FOUR: REPERCUSSIONS

**x**

Ah, sunrise- the most peaceful time of day. Cool winds rushing, small insects chirping, sweet slumber still granted to the poor souls of the city. . . Bliss. And this morning was no different- tranquil. Silent colors exploded in the sky as the flaming ball of red-orange light rose- swallowing the dusky blues and violets with magentas and yellows as- - -

All tranquility shattered.

"**_EEEEEEEEEEEE-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH_**!"

Kagome's sleepy eyes snapped open at once, her whole body jolting to attention as Inu-Yasha's scream shook the foundations of the opulent house. "Master Inu-Yasha?!" she gasped, pushing herself out of the comfortable corner. What was going on? Why was he screaming? Why wasn't he in bed? "Master Inu-Yasha?! Where are you?!" she called, cupping her hands around her mouth as her brow furrowed in confusion.  
  
His only answer was to continue screaming. Ergo, she followed his voice- racing after the horrified sound until she was lead to the bathroom- the one full of those fancy chamber pots, mirrors, and the fountain (bubbling with expensive soaps) that he had insisted upon. Pushing through the thick veils that blocked it from view, the young woman burst inside- - -

To find Inu-Yasha, staring wide eyed into the many looking glasses; hands running through his hair, over his face, and around his body. He was still gasping, trembling- but when her reflection appeared behind his, his yells came to a halt and his fingers stopped their roaming.

And then he turned slowly to face her- livid. He was not a happy customer.  
  
Kagome swallowed, taking a wary step backwards as the male before her took one towards her- shaking hands jerkily reaching out in the direction of her throat. "M- Master. . . ?" she whimpered, eyebrows knitting together as worried tears pooled up. "Master Inu-Yasha, what ails you. . . ?" Her gaze darted left and right before finally settling on him again, clenching her hands over her heart. "Are you not satisfied. . . ?"  
  
"What. . . ails. . . ? Satisfied. . . .?!" Inu echoed- his eyes popping as he allowed a dark chuckle to fall from his lips- - - before he completely lost it. "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, BEING SATISFIED?! _WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO ME_?!" he roared, helplessly tugging at his now-silver locks as his newly-grown dog ears gave a flick. Kag winced and shrank towards the wall as the man-turned-hanyou stomped another foot closer- his twenty talons and canines shining in the lamplight. "WHAT DID YOU **DO** TO ME, WENCH?!"  
  
The girl glared half-heartedly from the fetal position she had taken on the floor, a pearl of moisture slipping down her cheek as her sapphire pools bored into his golden ones. "Wench?!" she snapped, voice giving the mildest of quakes. "How DARE you!" Pushing herself up right, the magical maiden poked the half-demon in the chest, brushing away another tear. "I did nothing but grant what you asked for, Master! Why are you yelling at me?!"

"**_This isn't what I wished, bitch_**!" he screamed back, whirling away from her as she quickly lost her steam, sinking back to the ground with a soft 'Forgive me, Master. I shouldn't have spoken.' "I wished for all of the _qualities_ that dogs have, not their BODY PARTS! And what is it with all these disgusting smells I keep picking up?! They're driving me crazy- just like all the bloody sound!"  
  
Kagome lifted her gaze slightly, her voice monotone and hoarse. "Ears for hearing like them. Nose for smelling like them. Claws and teeth for attacking and eating like them. Grace, strength, and speed for stealing like them. Hair and eyes for looking like them. Those are all qualities, Master Inu-Yasha." She smiled slightly, despite herself, before muttering softly under her breath. "Be thankful, at least, that most of the dogs in the bazaar lack tails."  
  
"I HEARD THAT."  
  
'Whoops.' "A thousand and one apologizes, master," she sighed dully, inclining her head in his direction as he began pacing the floor, fretting- and ignoring her.

"What am I gonna do? What am I gonna do?!" he hissed to himself, staring at his sharp nails. "How will I explain this to- - -"

"Inu-Yasha? Are you okay?"  
  
The pair in the bathroom froze as Miroku's voice echoed from near by, the sound of approaching shuffles striking fear into their hearts. "Inu-Yasha? What's with all the noise? It's barely dawn!"

"Shi-i-i-i-it!" Inu cursed in a strained tone, yanking his locks once more. "What the fuck will I tell them?! What will they do?! They'll never accept this! Can't you- - - ?!" he asked in a pleading voice, snapping back towards Kagome, but she cut him off with a shake of her head.

"It took a night to change, it would take a day to return to your original form," she shrugged, chewing her bottom lip. "But- Master Inu-Yasha, they're your best friends! I'm sure that they love you enough not to ca- - -!" 

"Nonsense!" he interrupted hotly. "Look at me! I'm a _monster_! No WAY they'd ever accept m- - -!" His brilliant orbs widened as an idea struck him- the footfalls coming ever closer. Thank the gods that this mansion was so huge. "Unless I make them- - - ! Kagome!" Falling to his knees before the girl, he grabbed her head and turned it towards him. "I wish for Sango and Miroku to accept me like this!"  
  
Kag's eyes widened, a desperate glitter appearing as she frantically opened her mouth. "But Maste- - - !"  
  
"DO IT!" he commanded dourly, shaking her desperately. She paused as he did so, glaring at him as his hands pulled her face forward, squishing her cheeks. Then: "FINE," she spat, snapping her fingers. "DONE."

And no sooner than she had- Miroku entered. The moment of truth- - - -!  
  
"Inu-Yasha. . . ?" the elder man gaped, only half way through the door as he came to a halt- jaw dropping as he stared. "What. . . ?"  
  
The hanyou cringed, awaiting the worse- - -

"What are you doing to Kagome, you sly dog?" he laughed, a grin tugging on the edges of his lips as his violet pools twinkled, amused. "I'm all for a little early morning make-out session, but usually I chose a girl that complies. . . ?"  
  
. . .

The pair on the floor blinked- before realizing what this probably looked like, what with their faces and bodies so close to each other- and against the wall. Inu-Yasha instantly pulled away, surprised and embarrassed as he turned his attention towards his best friend, cheeks aflame. "Sh- sh- shut up! It's not like that at ALL!"  
  
"Sorry, sorry," the other sniggered, leaning against the door frame, "I'll keep it to myself. Some like it that way, I guess. But all the same, could you two keep it down?"

"For the love of the gods, we weren't- - - wait. . ." Inu's eyes widened as Miroku's cheery attitude struck him. He wasn't- - - ? "Miroku. . . ?" he began slowly, tentative as he gave his doggy appendage a twitch. No point in beating around the bush. . . "Do my looks scare you?"  
  
". . . Excuse me?" the older male started, bewildered. "What are you talkin- - -?"  
  
"My ears- ! Hair- ! Eyes- - - !" the hanyou continued, choppy- getting to his feet and walking towards Miroku. "I don't frighten you?!"  
  
"Inu-Yasha, what're you going on about? You've always looked like this! Why would you freak me out? Sure, it's scary that everyone in town chases you with pitchforks when we all go out, but hey! That makes like exciting," the second replied with a snort, as if concerned for his pal's health. Must have been, in fact- seeing as how he proceeded to place a hand upon Inu-Yasha's forehead the second he got close enough. "Are you feeling okay. . . ?"

'Pitchforks?! Eh- must be an exaggeration.' The half demon released a held breath before grinning slightly. "Fine, thanks. Just making sure you. . . never mind."  
  
"I what? What are you- - -Woah," Miroku's eyebrows shot to his hairline, looking a little worried as he took a step back. "Hey, you realize that I don't like you like THAT right? I'm a married man, you know!"  
  
Kagome- still against the wall, had to duck away to hide her giggles at Inu-Yasha's responsive face.  
  
"What the HELL are you talking about?!" Inu spluttered, face red and looking beyond disgusted as he took a staggering step backwards. His friend just laughed, making the sign to ward away evil as he stuck out his tongue.

"Ooo, Inu-Yasha has a crush on me," the eldest sang, taunting. "I'm sooo scar- - - hm?"  
  
All three paused when a loud knocking sounded on the front door, along with a majestic tooting of a horn.

. . . ?  
  
"What's that?" Kagome asked, getting to her feet and standing behind her master, pulling herself up to her tiptoes as she grabbed his shoulder.  
  
"I don't know. . ." the silver haired man frowned.  
  
"I'll go check it out," Miroku waved a hand, stepping out of the room with a grin cast over his shoulder. "Play nice, you two."  
  
"Why you- - - !"  
  
"Shhh!" Kagome suddenly silenced, placing a hand over his mouth and a finger on her own lips. Inu shot her a glance from the corner of his eye, just able to make out her creased brow. Slowly lowering his fist, he arched a questioning eyebrow at the girl. "Something's not right. Listen, master. . ."

He narrowed his gaze, fruitlessly trying to push her palm away. "I thought I told you not to call me- - - !"  
  
"SHHHH!" she insisted, frog marching him out into the hall and hiding behind a corner. "Now listen!"

So with a sigh, he did- still a bit annoyed (and astonished) with his sudden hearing capabilities.

"Miroku. . . ?" Sango's sleepy voice yawned as the oldest mortal walked past the couple's room. "Miroku, what's going on?" Inu-Yasha could hear the woman get to her feet, release a few dry heaves, and then toddle after her husband- who paused in his tracks, softly murmuring that she should go back to bed. After she adamantly refused (being stubborn Sango and all), he sighed- but couldn't ignore the ever louder pounding on the door.

"We know you're in there!" cried an angry voice from behind the locked barrier. "Open up!"

Inu and Kagome exchanged glances as, from a ways away; Miroku and Sango did the same.

"Pardon. . . ?" Miroku began, tentatively undoing the bolt- - -

Only to have- what sounded like- the entire army storm inside- breaking artwork and shattering windows as they did so. "Thank you for letting us in," a crisp voice droned, the crinkling of paper sounding as they presumably unbound a roll of parchment. "The inhabitants of this household are under arrest for obscene amounts of robbery, misconduct, and lies. Take them away!"

"What the hell- - - ?! We didn't steal any of th- - -" Sango began, but was soon muffled by a cloth. "Mphpmppph!?"

"Ha," drawled the man, chuckling as the police guffawed. "You expect us to believe that poor street rats like yourselves suddenly saved up enough money to buy this palace in less than a day?!"

"Sango! What are you- - -?! Release her!" Miroku began, before a heavy CRACK sounded- the kind that sent a feeling of cold dread straight to your heart. Inu-Yasha's eyes widened and his heartbeat quickened as he heard the dead weight of his best friend drop to the floor. This whole thing had got to be a bad dream- - - !  
  
Kagome, who had been fiddling with a lock of her hair before, silently clapped her hands together. Giving Inu's nightshirt a tug, she pointed towards the nearest window. He blinked at her, nonplussed, before understanding. Shaking his head, he began to mouth 'no!', but she lipped an adequate argument to convince him otherwise.

'Come or you'll die!'

Inu-Yasha swallowed, resisting her yanks. Sango- - - Miroku- - - !

"Both are gagged and bound, sir!"

"Good. Now- I hear there is a third street rat in this house. Find him. Take him to jail with the other two- for life. Then return for a royal search of this place- we need to find the townsfolk's. . . and the princess's. . . stolen belongings. Move it!"

As the heavy sounds of footsteps grew nearer and nearer, the hanyou suddenly realized how dangerous the situation was. They had to get out of here! Standing in a flash and almost knocking Kag to the floor with his eagerness, the pair silently raced towards the nearest window. Skidding to a halt at the magnificent work of multicolored glass at the dead end of the hall, Kagome quickly ripped her veil off of her mouth and folded it until it was opaque- placing it over Inu's ears and tying it underneath his chin. He moved to bat her hands away, but her icy glare stopped him in his tracks. God, she could be scary when she wanted to be. . . Not that he'd admit it.

"Trust me," she hissed as she tightened the knot of the slippery fabric, tossing a pale faced glance over her shoulder. "Now- You'll have to jump through it!" 

"Me?! And this window?!" Inu-Yasha snapped softly, his ears already sore. "Why not you?! You can break it with magic, ri- - - ?!"  
  
"DAMMIT MASTER, IF YOU DON'T BREAK THAT STUPID WINDOW YOURSELF YOU'LL- - -!" Kagome started furiously, but was cut off when a stray guard rounded their corner- dressed in thick gray armor and carrying one huge sword. The separate groups stared at one another for a half second- - -

And then both reacted.

"I found him! He's with some girl!" the man barked, his long, black, braided hair whipping around his head, pointing his weapon at the pair. Uh oh. . .

"Shit!" the half demon spat, instinctively scooping Kag into his arms- ignoring her quiet shriek of surprise- before leaping feet first through the window, not allowing himself any second thoughts as he hugged the girl safely to his chest. Ignoring the cry of the guards as the broken pieces of iridescent colored glass tinkled around their bodies- cutting their arms and legs and clothes- the pair fell with loud 'thumps' in the soft, cool sand; whole yards away from the house.  
  
"Woah. . ." Inu breathed hard, shocked at the power in his legs. Maybe this wasn't so bad. . .  
  
"No time for that!" Kagome snapped, her usual subdued manner completely gone as she gave his forelock a sharp yank- pointing rapidly at the dozens of marching troops that had noticed them from the door way. "RUN!"

Inu-Yasha, noticing the many, shining swords in the men's hands, quickly complied; bolting off into the sunrise with the girl in his arms- and feeling more and more guilty with every step taken.

**x**

"We lost them," Kagome panted in relief, leaning against a dark wall of the adobe ally way in the bazaar. Sliding down it, she came to rest next to a brooding Inu-Yasha. "But we'll have to keep going soon- they'll be coming right this way in a few minutes, I'm sure." Smiling slightly, her demeanor dropped when she noticed the hanyou. "Master? What's the matter? We made it out! Oh. . ." Gasping, she noticed the bleeding scrapes upon his arms, some deep and others shallow. "Are these what's hurting you, Master?" She asked gently, taking his arm in her petite hands. He roughly tugged it back.

"No," he growled, eyes narrowed as he pulled his chin to his knees. "That's not it."  
  
Kagome pursed her lips, on her face an expression of worry as she folded her hands in her lap. "Then- if it is not too bold- what's troubling you, Master Inu-Yasha?"

"_What_. . . ? You even have to ask?!" He laughed joylessly; bitter as he clenched his fists tightly- slamming one into the sand. "You certainly have a blind spot for the obvious, don't you, Kagome?!" Glaring coldly at her from the corner of his eye, he showed her a flash of his fangs. "My only friends were just put under arrest and all I did was run away! What kind of a bastard am I?!"  
  
"A living one?" she suggested a bit dryly, dipping her fingers into her top and pulling a maroon handkerchief out from between her breasts. Blowing out her cheeks and grabbing her master's arm again- not noticing the slight blush on his face as that scrap of cloth touched his flesh- Kag began to dab away his blood. "Master Inu-Yasha, it's all right. They'll be throwing them in the prison, right? That's no trouble." Shaking her head as he shot her a confused glance, she clarified with a grin. "We can rescue them."

Rescue. . . ?  
  
Inu-Yasha straightened, eyes widening. That was it!  
  
"Kagome! That's perfect!" he suddenly gasped, turning rapidly to face her. The girl blinked. "We can rescue them! Using magic!"  
  
"Wha- - - ?! No!" Kagome shook her head frantically. "That's not what I meant, Master!"  
  
"Kagome, you're a genius!" he clapped his hands, completely oblivious as she babbled frightenedly behind him. "I wish for Sango and Miroku to be released from prison!"  
  
"_No_!" the girl whispered forcefully, grabbing his shirt. "Please, Master, don't make me- - - ! It is a sin- - -! Don't do this- - - !"  
  
Inu, looking a little annoyed now, stared down his nose at the groveling woman. "What ARE you going on about?!" He rolled his eyes, pulling away. "That's what I wish!"

". . ." She lost all her energy with that blunt statement, her hands loosening and her head dropping forward a bit- eyes hidden. "Oh. . . I see. I. . . I had hoped. . . that you'd be smarter, Master. But. . . your desire is mine to fulfil, and so I shall- - -" she breathed, sounding choked- and scornful. "- - -You IDIOT!"

Snapping her fingers and releasing a sob, Kagome pushed herself to her feet and stalked off without another word.

"What- - -?! What the hell?!" Inu-Yasha gaped, confused and angry as he, too, got up- racing to the entry of the ally and into the shadowy light of the afternoon. But the girl ignored the half demon's bewildered, furious calls as she disappeared into the crowd- - -

And a couple of gossiping women passed by, wrinkled faces excited as they straightened their shopping baskets- blocking the hanyou's path. He instinctively slunk away, not wanting to be seen. After all, that pitchfork thing could still be true. . . And Kagome could take care of herself. . . right?

"Did you hear, Kaede?" one dressed in pale, drooping rags gushed, her long gray hair pulled back into a low, fern-adorned ponytail- her huge eyes examining the herbs at a nearby cart. "An execution has been announced!"  
  
Inu-Yasha's body stopped moving completely.

"Oh, yes, Urasue," the second smiled, her short, stout body leaning over some sweet smelling flowers and taking a sniff. "Heard it's going to be some young couple. Pity- I hear the woman was expecting."

No- - - ! It had to just be some sort of coincidence!

"Well, that's what happens when you resort to a life of crime," Urasue sniffed haughtily before stealthily scooping some ginger into her basket and hiding it underneath a loaf of bread. "I'm sure they deserve it." 

Sango- Miroku!

"Aye," Kaede agreed after a moment. "We could do with two less criminals, all the same. Anyway- let's head over. I hear the decapitation will start at any time!"  
  
"Ooo! Let's!" 

And so the two old cronies scuffled off, cackling over some inside joke as Inu-Yasha felt his knees give out. 'No- - - no- - - ! They- - - !'  
  
Biting his bottom lip and setting his face, the man slowly used the wall to get back to his feet. This was no time for hysterics. . .  
  
He had to do something.

**x**

_;; Originally this chapter was going to be longer, but I think this is long enough for now.  
  
Please R&R!  
  
Ja ne!_


	5. Master

_Disclaimer: ::sighs:: Don't remind me. . .  
  
Author's Note: Hey hey! What's up? Not much over here- but it's amazing how many tests my teachers seem to insist on having per week. - So I'm sorry how long it took to update! T-T_

_Ah well. I'm here now! XD  
  
Anyway, as I'm sure most of you have realized, (for it's sort of hard to miss), I've decided to start posting on again. Why? Few reasons, actually- _

_One, because I missed it. Well, not the whole fics-getting-deleted thing, but I did miss the set up and the smooth running of the site. _

_Two, because it turns out the mm . org is also going on a fic raid. And, while it is not for any type of fic that I have to worry about (Chose You Own Adventure fics), it's the principle of the thing, you know?  
  
Three, because ff . net is easier for you guys. I've had a lot of people report trouble finding fics and reviewing, and I hate having annoyed readers. ::sweatdrops:: (-;_

_Four- because just about everyone told me to. ::laughs:: Sorry I didn't reply to all of your e-mails personally, guys- I usually do, but I've been really busy this week. T-T This chapter is dedicated to all of those who sent me their opinions!_

_  
Anyway, that's about it. XD Please enjoy and R&R! _

_((. . . My cat is having a battle with a roll of duck tape. . . _

_And I think the duct tape is winning.))_

**x** _STARDUST  
_  
**x**  
  
"He who wishes to be rich in a day will be hanged in a year." Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) 

**x**

CHAPTER FIVE: MASTER 

**x**

There's a day in everyone's life when they wake up, from no matter how deep or shallow of a slumber, and just know that the next 24 hours are going to be like a merry stroll through hell. In fact, one usually experiences this sort of phenomenon many, many times.

But the feeling Miroku received when his heavy eyelids managed to pry themselves apart put all other experiences to shame.

"Wha. . . - - -Ugh!" he groaned, grimacing as his forehead gave a nauseating throb, sending a spasm of pain through his body. God, it felt like he'd been stabbed in the temple or something. . . Or punched.

Punched. . .

Yes, it must have been punched, seeing as how he wasn't bleeding. All the same, it hurt like- - -

"Mphphmghpmp!"

'. . . ?' "Hm?!" the dark haired man blinked rapidly, trying to sit up and look around. That voice. . . It was familiar. . . Sango?! He stiffened, violet eyes widening as his blurry vision cleared. It _was_ Sango. . .  
  
And she was bound. Tied tightly with a white cloth- gag in mouth- to a long, blood stained, thick, wooden slab- neck and hands subdued by rope as she glared heatedly at her husband; hopping anxiously from one foot to the next as best as she could. It must have been painful, seeing as how her whole body made a sharp right angle.

Actually, he _knew_ it was painful- seeing as he was subdued by the same devices (except, for some reason, the gag), perhaps half a foot away from his wife. He blinked again as he noticed this, drawing a blank. What was going on. . . ? Why was that crowd gathering. . . ?  
  
And what the hell was up with those burly swordsmen leering down at them?!  
  
**x**

He needed some sort of plan- a strategy of attack. But what? Run in screaming? Chuck junk at the executioners? Create a distraction? He sighed, a droplet of sweat dribbling down his face as he peaked out from behind a line of wash, hidden in a shadowy ally way. The perfect hiding place, if he did say so himself. The red and white stripped rugs drying in the sun matched his maroon outfit and silver locks almost perfectly (though the design didn't really blend well, now that he thought about it), and he was positioned in such a clever way that he could observe the gathering without being seen or sun burnt. (Or stabbed by a pitchfork, if it came to that.)  
  
Now if only he could come up with a way to save his friends!  
  
Inu-Yasha moaned weakly into his hands before running his fingers through his unnaturally pale locks, tugging them in frustration. "Dammit!" he cursed to himself, noting the sun's sinking position in the sky. The death of Sango and Miroku was scheduled to take place when the sun was at the three-quarters point in the heavens- and judging by its current position, it appeared he only had thirty minutes left. Dammit! Life is certainly a bitch. . .  
  
And speaking of bitches- - - where was Kagome?

**x**

_Stupid. . . ignorant. . . pig-headed. . . !_

The ebony haired beauty fumed heatedly as she stalked through the busy streets of the bazaar, ignoring the lustful looks of passing men as her practically naked body stormed by. 'What a moron!' she snarled mentally, a tear of frustration leaking down her cheek as her pouty lips stuck out in annoyance. 'How can he be so dense?! Even my stupidest of past masters had gotten a clue by now!'  
  
Crossing her arms and finding a place to seat her rear- the closest being a strange, open-air bakery with tables and wooden chairs that sat exposed near the edge of the street- the genie (of sorts) plopped down in a huff, crossing one leg over the other and jiggling her foot. Stupid Master! Stupid, stupid master! Hadn't he been able to read the signs yet?! Wasn't she being obvious enough?! She had tried to- - -

To. . .

'Oh. . . Who am I trying to kid?!'

She deflated instantly, slouching down onto the table top with hooded, wistful eyes. No. . . She hadn't tried. . . She **couldn't** try unless he wi- - - desired it. And he didn't seem to want to comprehend what was happening. He wanted to believe that his petty wants would do them all some good.  
  
Silly fool. . .

But. . .

She could sympathize.  
  
Sighing softly, Kagome turned her glassy pools towards the street, pushing a lock of glossy hair out of her face as she watched a group of gabby lovers pass by, giggling and blushing and teasing and- - - !

She turned away, hating the all-too-familiar feeling that was prodding her painfully in the heart. 'No. . . I will not feel THAT today. . . _No_!'

Too late.  
  
Kag groaned half-heartedly as she felt a surge of power course through her veins- like subtle knives that attacked her every cell. Not that she paid the sensation much heed. When this sort of feeling passes through your soul at least once a day, you grow a bit used to it. . . But Master Inu-Yasha and his friends were going to be paying later, unless he caught on.

". . ."

_. . .his friends. . ._

She bit her bottom lip, feeling as if a sudden bucket of icy water had been dumped over her head.

"_**Our lives are finally taking a turn for the better!" Sango squealed, hoping up and down once before rushing over and embracing Kagome, almost crying with happiness. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" **_

"_**Ah- - -!"The magical one seemed surprised by this sudden display of affection- but as quickly as the shock had come it faded away and was replaced by a guilty grin. Nodding nervously, Kag began tentatively patting the older female's back, looking unsure. "Uh. . . no problem?" Miroku just smiled before gently tugging his wife away- seeing as how it appeared she was suffocating the girl.**_

Her eyes snapped open, her curved spine straightening almost instantly. FRIENDS. HIS friends! Perhaps even her own. . . ? 'Sango- Miroku. . . !' They were going to die in a mere fifteen minutes- - - ! What could she- - - ?!

And once again, her shoulders slumped. Nothing. There was nothing she could do.

Nothing that would help, anyway. Her _magic- _if one could call it that- would do them no good. 'If only Master would realize that!' But he hadn't yet- so she couldn't return to him until he had saved them himself. (If he could. . .)  
  
Still, she wanted to help SOME way. . . !  
  
Nibbling on her thumb in thought, the young woman gradually began to notice the young horse tied to a near by well; pacing impatiently as it waited for a master to return.

Hmm. . .

**x**

The situation looked dire, that was for sure. And it was probably more dire than they'd like to believe. Sango and Miroku gulped softly as the chatty crowed suddenly fell silent, a hush echoing through the city center.  
  
They were running out of time. . .

"Mghep sdhem Inewjash?" Sango spat out as best she could, twisting her head painfully; trying to look in all directions.

"I don't know. . ." Miroku replied gravely, brow furrowing. 'But we could sure use his help right now!'

**x**

That was it. He had no plans, no ideas. It was rock-bottom hopeless.

Inu-Yasha ran a tired, pasty hand over his face, a sick sort of churning taking hold of his insides as he pulled the drying carpet closer to him. No- he couldn't think like that! He NEEDED to save them- they were his only friends! His only family! (Well, apart from his stupid half-brother. But he didn't count.) He couldn't just give up on them. . . 

They'd never given up on him.

'Ugh, I sound like a sappy imbecile!' he mentally grumbled, hands moving up to fiddle with the knot underneath his chin- the sheen of red material that was covering his ears.

Ears. . .

Wait. . . His ears! The hanyou straightened a bit, staring blankly at the wall as things began to rapidly click in his mind: Ears half-dog new powers a chance to save them (with or without a stupid plan)!  
  
And suddenly, a low, raspy chuckle escaped him- his eyes flashing blood red as a smirk pulled on his lips, the loosened veil falling off without notice. 'Heh heh heh. . . hold on to your heads, Sango- Miroku. Here I come. . .' 

**x**

'Pandemonium' was too light of a word. All around them children were screeching, animals whining with fright- a few buildings crackling as fire overtook them. Her eyes widened in horror as she noticed their executioner- lying on the ground beside them with a fatal wound tearing down his chest; freely bleeding as he died an agonizing death. Her stomach knotted dangerously, bile building in the back of her throat. . .

"Sango! Hurry up!" Miroku hissed from near her ear, yanking off his own sliced bindings as the crowd around them ran frantically for cover, screaming in fright. Inu-Yasha bounded around the townsfolk, cackling in sick delight as he leapt higher and higher, only to come crashing down within their little panic groups with so much force that they toppled painfully to the ground- Inu snickering at their fear. "Run!" he taunted- his voice soft, and yet, so loud. "Flee! Suffer and beg like you made me do!" 

Inu-Yasha. . .

"Sango- snap out of it and hurry!" her husband's begging voice sounded from beside her, his hands finding her shoulders and giving her a shake. "We have to get out of here- look over there!"

With timid eyes, Sango did so- only to find that a group of the royal soldiers were marching into view, the clanking and clatter of their weapons audible even over the loud cries of 'It's Inu-Yasha!' 'Devil! Demon! Ogre!' and 'The ears- - -! Look at those horrid ears!'

It was almost too much. . . !

_BAM!_  
  
The married pair winced as Inu-Yasha landed powerfully next to them, making their raised platform wince.

"C'mon you two! What the hell are you waiting for?!" he growled, as if deaf to the sobs around them. Had he really been that angry inside?  
  
Miroku and Sango exchanged worried glances, trying to ignore the smell of burning ash and bleeding mortals. "Inu-Yasha," the woman then asked, trying to collect herself, "how are we supposed to get out of here?!" She motioned frantically to the hordes of people, the flaming carts, and the approaching army. The hanyou's frown deepened as he cracked his knuckles.  
  
"Maybe I should move them out of the way. . . ?" he suggested. But before his friends could stop him- before he had even bent his knees to jump- a voice stopped them.

"Master! Master Inu-Yasha!"

Sango blinked in surprise as all three of them froze.

"- - -?! Kagome- - - ?!" Inu gaped, shocked- hand still poised to strike but suddenly still.  
  
Indeed it was. The friends whirled around in surprise to see the genie on the horizon, standing atop of a saddled steed and waving frantically for them to come. Billows of smoke tickled her body as she bounced gracefully on top of the horse- before tugging smartly on its reigns. 

The creature bolted off like a dark bullet, barreling through the soldiers and crowds without a thought, before skidding to a halt in front of the half-demon and his companions. Kagome leapt onto the platform with them before gently pushing Sango and Miroku towards the horse. "Come on, hurry!" she urged, oblivious to their surprised and slightly surprised faces. "HURRY!"

". . . Where the hell did you come from?" Inu blinked as his friends made themselves as comfortable as possible on the saddle: Sango in front and Miroku behind, clutching the reins as he held his wife in place.  
  
"No ti- - - _eeeeeeem_!" the magical teenager began swiftly, squeaking in surprise as her master quickly swept her into his arms; jumping ten feet into the sky- just making it out of the way as a large charred beam landed where they had stood; the horse rearing back on its hind legs. "A- all right! Let's go!"  
  
"Couldn't agree more!" Miroku muttered as he yanked on the reigns, charging the steed foreword and through the screaming throng- Inu-Yasha and Kagome at his side.

"GET THEM!" an army general roared, pointing his huge sword towards the group- his braided black hair waving in the wind as they galloped off into the sunset. "I WANT THEM DEAD OR ALIVE!"

**x**

For the second time in a day, the hanyou had run away. The mere thought of this made his stomach turn in disgust, but it was true. Inu-Yasha grumbled darkly under his breath as he came to a slow stop in the middle of a small desert oasis, dropping Kagome unceremoniously under a palm tree as Sango and Miroku tied the horse near a tiny pool of turquoise water.

'Ah well. . .' he sighed, dropping himself upon the mossy-green ground and flopping backwards, peering through the leafy canopy above them and at the pitch black sky. The moon was enough to light their hide away tonight, but all the same- it left him feeling rather empty. Stars were harder to see when the moon shone. . .  
  
Silence reined over the four for a few long moments. Sango nervously rubbed her abdomen (as she often did when worried), Miroku sat thoughtfully on a stone, and Kagome rested in another one of her strange, flexible positions near the base of a tree- her ankles crossed and her knees near her chin- hands linked on the ground before her. Then:

". . .Where are we?" the eldest man asked, running a hand through his hair with a sigh. "It can't be too far from the city."  
  
"It's not," Kag confirmed, squinting through the darkness at the heavens, as if trying to read a map. "We're only a few miles away. It won't take them long to find us."  
  
"Well, then, we have to keep moving," Sango frowned, kneeling next to her husband and resting her head against his thigh, looking a little pale. This sort of stress wasn't good for her or the baby. . . Miroku's eyes darkened slightly at the thought as he began to lovingly smooth his wife's hair, trying to calm her. "They won't let us back into the city anymore- they barely allowed us there in the first place!"

"Mmm," Inu-Yasha agreed syllabically, stroking an imaginary beard once or twice before quickly sitting up, crossing his arms and legs in his usual stubborn fashion. "We'll have to live in the desert."  
  
A cricket chirped.

"How about. . . no?" Miroku retorted dryly, answering for everyone at once. The half-demon growled and bared his fangs, irritated as his friend's gibing tone.  
  
"Well, then- where do YOU suggest we go, idiot?!"  
  
"I- - -!"

"Hey- let's not fight!" the chestnut-haired woman sighed wearily. "We can't afford any petty disagreements right now!" She turned towards the silent Kag and smiled slightly, as if trying to keep things cheerful. "Isn't that right, Kagome?"  
  
The girl tried to grin back, but failed miserably- her expression only growing more withdrawn and cold. "I am sorry- but I am not allowed to answer to anyone but my master," she answered in a mechanical tone, pulling her hands to her knees and hugging her legs close.

Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes as Sango's demeanor dropped slightly. "Oh- Come ON, Kagome. You can answer her simple little question, can't you? I don't have to WISH for you to talk to us, do I?"  
  
Kag glanced at the boy from the corner of her eye, face as blank as a statues'. ". . . I am sorry.  
  
I am not allowed to answer to anyone but my master."

?! Wasn't Inu-Yasha- - - ?! The three blinked, confusion etched all over their faces- - - until Inu's eyes widened. "Uh- guys. . . ?" he gulped, patting his pockets in dismay. "Does anyone happen to have the lamp?"

But before anyone else could answer, Kagome vanished in a sudden display of sweet smelling maroon smoke.

**x**

_A lot of people have been mentioning that, though Inu-Yasha is not out-of-characterly dense (if that's even a phrase), he is sort of contradicting his previous fears of the lamp. While I applaud your perceptiveness, I need to point out that Inu-Yasha wasn't afraid of the outcome of his wishes, he was just skeptical about wishes being granted in general. ::smiles and sweat drops:: Gomen ne if I've confused you. . . But it'll all be clear soon. XD_

_On a side note: Who here thinks that the music to 'Laputa: Castle in the Sky' is some of the best anime music ever? XD ::hums the theme::  
  
XD Thanks for reading! Please R&R!  
  
Ja ne!_


	6. The Difference Between Fallen and Fallen

_Disclaimer: I write so much about Inu-Yasha, I think that I should be able to own him for a bit. Like frequent flyer miles, ya know?  
  
Author's Note: Not really much to say right now that's of much importance, but I figured I'd get a few things out in the open right now. _

_One- the plot is not at all what you guys seem to be thinking right now. (But that's okay, because it's not like I've given proof to anything else. :-) ) _

_Two- this, unfortunately, is probably going to be the least romantic of all my fics. They'll be plenty of fluff and all that good stuff, but. . . well, you'll see._

_Three- Invader Zim ROCKS! I just saw it for the first time over last weekend (the worst weekend I've had in years T-T), and I LOVE IT! ::dies laughing while huggling Gir and Zim plushies:: )_

_Anyway, that's about it! Thank you everyone for reviewing, and heeeeeere we go! _

**x**

**  
_STARDUST  
_**  
**x**  
  
"Great minds have great purposes, others have wishes. Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortune; but great minds rise above them." Washington Irving (1783-1859)

**x**

_CHAPTER SIX: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FALLEN AND FALLEN _

**x**

The moon shone brightly upon the sprays of white sand that flew up from underneath the horse's hooves and Inu-Yasha's bare feet. Desert winds blew through in sudden gusts, slamming into the friends and berating their stupidity. Not that they needed much help in doing that. . .

"Damn it!" the hanyou cursed under his breath while the velvet purple sky twinkled above, the large rosy moon hovering near the horizon line. A small cluster of stringy black clouds cast parts of the heavens into darkness- silhouetting the frantic Inu as he leapt wildly over the dunes, closely followed by the whinnying animals. "Damn it damn it damn it damn it!"  
  
How could he be so STUPID? He'd known the guards were going to search the house! Why hadn't he grabbed the fucking lamp?! Who knew where Kagome was now? Was she in danger? Was she being mistreated? Where could she be?  
  
"Hurry up!" he snapped at his worried companions from over his shoulder, pushing on through the night and towards the tiny glowing city in the distance. "We don't have time to dawdle!"  
  
"Do we look like we're dawdling to you?!" Sango barked in reply, gritting her teeth as she urged her horse to run faster. "Hyah!"

"Keh!" Inu-Yasha grunted, narrowed eyes turning back to his front. The gigantic palace of golden, curling turrets and smooth alabaster seemed to be growing. They'd be back home soon. . . to whatever was left of it. What would they find when they arrived? A knot tightened in Inu-Yasha's gut as his forehead furrowed.

'She had **_better_** be okay. . .'

**x**

". . ."

Inu-Yasha blinked once, twice- three times in total, but remained utterly nonplused to the sight before him. Sango and Miroku, too, seemed unsure as to what to feel. And as they all exchanged glances, the hanyou couldn't help but wonder-

_Was_ she okay? It was hard to tell. After all, though they hadn't first thought so-

She was the one IN the lamp, not the one holding it.

"Uh. . ." Sango cleared her throat, keeping a few yards away from the woman in the doorway of their virtually destroyed hut-turned-palace. Yes, as expected, the whole thing was a mess. From what they could see through the blasted door, all of the decorations were ruined, curtains were torn, windows were shattered- even the stonework itself seemed to have frayed. But all of that was unnaturally negligible. . .

What with the **princess** on their front steps.  
  
Inu felt his whole face flame as his best friend's wife continued to search for the proper words to say. Words that **he** _should_ have been able to say- were he able to find his tongue. As it was, he couldn't have found his nose if someone had asked him to point it out.

He must have died out there, somewhere, in that freezing desert night, because the goddess that stood before him couldn't possibly be human. Not with that thick, silky sheet of onyx hair; the deep, misty star-gray eyes; the luscious ruby lips; the soft rose-pink cheeks; the smooth porcelain skin. Countless lengths of shimmering, semi-transparent, blood red veils- even darker than Kagome's- wrapped and re-wrapped lazily around her chest, displaying planes of skin from the base of her breasts to the lower half of her hips. Bags of access material seemed to float near her slender feet, giving the impression of walking on a cloud. A silver body chain decorated her stomach perfectly as gold, jewels, and riches beyond measure looped her wrists, ankles, and head; gems platted into her rear-long braid. Yes, she was definitely some sort of angel. . .

Princess Kikyo. . .

The hanyou was jolted from his musings of her majesty by Sango, who finally seemed to have found the tail end of her sentence. "What are you doing here?" Kikyo arched a surprised eyebrow at the bluntness, but before Miroku or Inu-Yasha could tell off the elder girl for her rude tone- - -

The princess giggled, ducking her head to hide her blush as she fingered the smooth sides of Kag's lamp. "Um. . . so sorry to be a bother," she began in embarrassment, playing with a loose hoop of her hair. "But I wanted to personally apologize for my guards' unforgivable behavior." Glancing up sheepishly, she turned to Inu-Yasha, holding out the mystical item in her delicate hands, which were tipped by maroon colored nails. The boy was almost afraid to touch her, lest she brake (or his head be chopped off), but her warm, honey-sweet smile made him melt into a puddle of goo and loose all sense. He took the lamp carefully from her, and even allowed their hands to stay connected for a few moments.

Kikyo's magenta cheeks darkened before she quickly pulled her fingers back, glancing away with shy, hooded eyes. "I- um- was only able to save that from those bullies. . . I'm so sorry for the misunderstanding. I'll be sure to pay back every cent of what was so thoughtlessly broken. Please don't hold it against me or my family. . . it would just break my heart." 

What broke the half-demon's heart was her pained whispers. Reaching out before he'd even thought his actions over, Inu-Yasha placed a comforting hand on her arm. Kikyo started in shock at the gesture, dark pools welling with tears.

"Don't worry," Inu soothed in an unnaturally gentle tone- one that stunned even himself. "We understand why we looked suspicious. We don't blame you." The woman managed a thankful smile as Sango and Miroku exchanged knowing glances, trying to hide their growing smirks. Once again clearing her throat, the brown haired female startled the pair of love struck teens into glancing away from each other long enough to notice the married pair.

"We're going to head inside and assess the damage," Sango announced, sending a subtle wink Inu's way. The hanyou growled softly, but couldn't stay mad at his friends. He knew what they were trying to do- and he was strangely thankful. Grabbing her mildly protesting husband's hand, the pregnant woman began to pull him with her into the depths of the mansion. "Be good!"

. . . As if he'd be bad with the princess around. . .  
  
Inu-Yasha and Kikyo watched the others leave for a long moment, and then fell silent- unsure of how to act now that they were virtually alone. The half demon, suddenly full of unfamiliar, self-conscious nerves, began examining Kagome's lamp in the sunrise glow, able to see Kikyo's reflection in the side. She seemed just as frazzled as he.

"So. . ." she eventually managed, fiddling with her hair again. "Here we are. . . finally meeting face to face."  
  
Inu-Yasha chuckled, putting the lamp under his arm. "It's like I already know you."  
  
Kikyo beamed, cocking her head cutely. "I feel the same." Blushing again, the princess cast him a glance through her long black lashes. "You know," she whispered, as if sharing a secret with him, "I look forward to seeing you every day. In the bazaar, from my balcony. When you make a fool of yourself, just to catch my eye. But I'm sure you've realized by now. . ." she continued softly, a note of some other emotion in her voice as she took a careful step nearer, brushing his chest. "You already have it."

Already- - - have- - - ?

His whole face lit up in an unimaginable fire. Kikyo giggled again, airy and whimsical. "You needn't look so embarrassed. I think you're charming. I love watching you in the afternoons- and when you escape with your friends at night." Here she suddenly sighed, eyes dropping. "Sometimes I wish I could just run away with you. But the world is a frightening place, Father tells me, full of liars and pretenders with intricate guises. I'm sure I'd not last more than two minutes on my own."

. . .He should say something here. Anything! 'Just stop staring at her like some sort of fool and speak words!'

"Y-you wouldn't have to be alone. . . You could always stay with us, if you left," he blurted, not really stopping to mull over his response before replying. Her strange expression made his ears droop- '. . . Maybe I should have kept quiet.'- but they soon perked as she graced him with another kind grin. "I appreciate your saying that, Inu-Yasha. . ." she returned thankfully, turning to walk away. The hanyou blushed deep scarlet at the response- but then paused when she was already a few meters gone- realizing something. 

"Wait!" he called after her, confused. She halted and glanced at him over her shoulder, a halo of sunlight ringing her head. She really was an angel of some sort. . ."How did you know my- - - ?"  
  
Kikyo laughed, her voice a tinkering melody. A sound that made his knees grow weak. ". . . I know the name of every man I fall for, Inu-Yasha," she teased, winking one charcoaled eye before leaping off, her own face tinted with embarrassment. He watched her, stunned stupid, as she shrank into the distance, eventually joined by a fleet of six guards who steered her in the direction of the palace.

Inu-Yasha swallowed, still pink and choked. 'Princess. . .'

**x**

"And- and- and then she smiled at me! She actually smiled at me!"

"Mmmm," Kagome drawled in response, only half paying attention to her rambling master as she noted the damage to her masterpiece of a house, picking a piece of lint off of her top and flicking it away. It could easily be redressed, sure; but it was still utterly annoying. Almost as annoying as having to pay attention to this. . .

Casting a flat glance at Inu-Yasha, who was pacing excitedly before the broken window in his torn-apart room, she muted a sigh, confused as to what had happened. After all- One minute she was in the desert with Master Inu-Yasha, the next she was back home, listening to him talk about this 'princess' of his. What had happened between those two points? Had everyone gotten back okay? How much time had passed? And who _was_ this princess? "Exciting, Master Inu-Yasha. Very exciting indeed."

The boy blew out his cheeks in a happy rush; suddenly flopping back upon his sliced up mattress. Ignoring the flurry of feathers that blasted into the sky at his sudden impact, Inu grinned widely at the ceiling, floating upon cloud nine. He was so thrilled, he didn't even notice Kagome's less than perky expression, hidden as she was in the shadows of the corner. But then again, he probably wouldn't have anyway. "Yes. . . it was very exciting. And she even told me that she's 'fallen' for me, Kagome! Do you know what this means?"  
  
She cocked her head and blinked once, gliding on air a foot or two foreword, her fallow-colored eye shadow darker than usual in the twilight; giving her a haunted look. "A thousand and one apologize, my Master, but I do not. I have always known falling to be a bad thing. I have found it hurts my nose."

'Hurts her nose. . . ?'

Inu-Yasha blinked once, lifting his head off of his pillow and resting his chin upon his chest, studying her serious expression in the starlight. Then he began snickering, rolling his amber-gold eyes. "No, stupid. Not literal falling! Falling can also mean finding yourself in love."

"Ho. . . .?" she gaped, genuinely shocked. "In love, my Master? Can it really?"

"Uh huh," he hummed, frighteningly cheerful. "It can."

Kagome considered this thoughtfully, musing over his words for the greater portion of a minute before allowing herself to sit carefully next to him on the bed. Crossing her legs and pulling her master's head into her lap, she began working the knots out of his hair. The hanyou seemed a little surprised by her actions, but didn't question them. After all. . . it felt rather good. "I see," she murmured through her slightly pursed lips, nibbling once on the very tip of her tongue. "But Master Inu-Yasha, who would come up with such a strange connection? Falling was first a bad thing before it was, in this case, good. Or is falling in love a bad thing in this time? How does one know that the other is 'falling' in love, and no falling into hate or any other emotion? It seems to me that this phrase is merely a structure of guesswork." 

His expression slipped slightly. He'd never thought of it that way. . .

Falling into hate. . . ? Could it be possible. . . ?  
  
Inu-Yasha stiffened in Kagome's embrace, a seeping sort of fear that he hadn't felt since that morning taking control of his veins. Perhaps he had misunderstood the princess? Or worse yet- she could have meant as Kagome had suggested? Maybe she was just being polite!

Kag suddenly frowned, working her nimble fingers down his neck. "Master," her soft voice echoed in his ears. "Master, what's the matter? Your muscles have all knotted up." 

Along with his stomach, his heart, his soul. . . He had to do something! He didn't want to loose Kikyo. . .

"Kagome," he breathed, trying to keep his voice from cracking, "Kagome- I need to make a wish."

"- - -!" The genie was the one to tense now, her hands freezing in his tresses of silver. "A desire. . .?" she repeated in an almost craven fashion. "M-master Inu-Yasha, I believe I know what you are to say and- - -and please, just forget which I so wrongly asked! I'm sure that this princess is very much fallen!"  
  
"Yes, I'm sure she is too" the half demon scowled, smacking his forehead with his fist. "And has probably just broken her nose! How stupid can I be? She couldn't possibly have meant it like I thought she did. . .! Could she- - - ? Ooo- nonetheless! This must be done, - just to make sure!"  
  
"But, Master, wait- - -!"  
  
"No!" he snapped, cutting her off. "Kagome, I wish for the love of the princess. All of the princess's love!"  
  
Kag was becoming frantic now, scooting quickly away from Inu-Yasha as he rolled upon his stomach, squirming towards her and grabbing her forearms as her back hit the corner, wooden pole of his canopy. "But, Master- please!"  
  
He growled, eyes narrowing. "Do it, Kagome!" Giving her a sharp shake as she trembled, their intense gazes locked in the black room. She swallowed painfully, brow quivering as her chest heaved. After a full moment of attempts to collect herself, Kagome seemed to manage some sort of composure- able to bring her thumb and ring fingers together. She had no choice- it was not her fault.

"Anything my master desires. . . I shall grant to its fullest extent. Done."

_Snap_

And as the rest of the light seemed to flee that room- the room full of shattered glass, torn finery, and silent tears- a single soul peered around the corner, violet eyes narrowed in suspicion.

**x**

_Yea! Another chapter done! Finally! XD I hope you all enjoyed- and thank you for being so patient when it comes to updates. I know I'm terrible when it comes to that. ::sweatdrop::  
  
I love you all! Please R&R!  
  
Ja ne! _


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